The disturbing allegations against Lizzo this week beg the question: What happens when we have to reevaluate our so-called “unproblematic faves”?
in concepts like inclusivity, body positivity, and diversity. This extends to her music, which has been hailed by some critics as a progressive political statement, one meant to offer hope to young progressives desperate for pop music that reflects their values. For these kinds of fans, the news of Lizzo’s alleged misconduct is especially heartbreaking.
But perhaps the question shouldn’t be how someone like Lizzo could ever engage in this sort of behavior. The better question is, why were we so convinced she was a politically progressive artist in the first place? To be fair, that idea didn’t come from nowhere. Starting with songs like “Truth Hurts” in 2019, Lizzo successfully paved a path to superstardom as a big, Black woman preaching self-love: something that is absolutely a political act in and of itself. But although her existence in the mainstream may be a comfort to those who crave representation, calling her music itself “progressive” has always been an act of forced projection.
Modern political catastrophes have coincided with an apparent growing need for fans to feel like they have close and personal relationships with their celebrities. As such, there’s an unprecedented pressure on today’s superstars to create music that “makes a statement”—particularly one that lines up with the progressive values of young listeners while still being broad enough for repeat listens and sold-out stadiums.
Today, there is no shortage of artists whose quasi-progressive signaling has been received as radical:
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